Control device for the pneumatic switching means of circuit breakers with section switches in electrical lines



June 12, 1956 A VIBOUD 2,750,464

CONTROL DEVICE FOR THE PNEUMATIC SWITCHING MEANS OF CIRCUIT BREAKERSWITH SECTION SWITCHES IN ELECTRICAL LINES Filed March 18, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Fi I 57 56 Inventor Albert VIBOUD B 14.5w MMM AttorneyJune 12, 1956 VlBOUD CONTROL DEVICE FOR THE PNEUMATIC SWITCHING MEANS OFCIRCUIT BREAKERS WITH SECTION SWITCHES IN ELECTRICAL LINES 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 18, 1952 Inventor Albert VI BOU D y AdmiWMM(* CONTRUL DEVICE FGR THE PNEUIVIATEC SWITCHTNG MEANS OF CIRCUITBREAK- ERS WITH SECTION SWITCHES IN ELEC- TRIQAL LWES Albert Viboud,Grenoble, France, assignor to Etahiissements Merlin & Gerin, SocitAnonyme, Grenoble, France, a corporation of France Application March 18,1952, Serial No. 277,326 Claims priority, application France April 4,1951 8 Claims. (Cl. ZOO-82) The invention is concerned with a controldevice for distributing the compressed air or other pressure fluid tothe mechanism which actuates the control valve for the supply ofpressure medium to the current interrupting means and to the mechanismwhich actuates the in sulating section switch of a pneumatic circuitbreaker.

In high voltage lines, the pneumatic circuit breakers which interruptthe current are provided with section switches which, as soon as the arcproduced at the interruption of the current has been extinguished, openand thus separate and insulate the adjoining line section and thussecure a definite interruption of the circuit and separation of theline.

More particularly the invention is concerned with the control of bothcircuit breaker and section switch, operated by means of compressed air,such that the cycles of operation of the switches, particularly theswitching oif of the same, are initiated by a single operation of astarting mechanism. The section switch will then be opened inpredetermined spaced timing after the opening of the circuit breaker andall switching operations of the circuit breaker and of the sectionswitch will be carrier through each in proper sequence of the variousphases of the operation cycles. Both switches, as to the flow of theactuating pressure fluid, are switched 01f independently of each otherbut positively coupled with regard to the sequence in time of thevarious phases of the switching operations.

When the circuit breaker is opened, the time during which the arc isblown out generally does not exceed a half-period of the alternating netcurrent since the extinction of the arc will generally be achieved atthe first passage of the current through zero. The blow out valve thuscould be closed after a half-cycle.

On the other hand, the opening of the section insulating switchobviously requires a greater length of time in view of the considerablelength of the path which the movable contact member is to travel andwhich path is the longer the higher the voltage is for which theapparatus is designed.

Should thus a single valve be employed for the supply of compressed airto both circuit breaker and section switch, it would be necessary, inorder to ensure the complete opening of the section switch, to maintainthis single control valve in open position during the whole length oftime required for the operation of the section switch. Since, anyhow,both circuit breaker and section switch are to be supplied with thepressure medium from the same source, the conditions for the properworking and cooperation of both are difiicult to reconcile. If thecontrol valve is kept open all the time needed for the completion of thecourse of the section switch operation, a considerable quantity of thepressure medium will unnecessarily blow ofi at the circuit breaker afterthis circuit breaker has completed its function and thus this pressuremedium will be lost and wasted. Accordingly, in such a case, the sourcefor the pressure medium must be designed for a size larger than would beneeded for a circuit breaker ice with which such loss after the circuitbreaker has opened could be avoided. A device of this type thus isuneconomical.

Should, on the other hand, the control valve be closed immediately afterthe circuit breaker has opened and interrupted the circuit, the sectionswitch could only continue and complete its movement through the inertiaof its moving parts. Such a solution of the problem however has thedrawback that a proper functioning of the section switch cannot beensured. Some unknown factor might intervene, for instance frictionmight have increased while, during a longer period of time, the sectionswitch had not been actuated so that the inertia of the moving parts ofthe section switch would no longer sufiice to complete the course ofoperation of the section switch, that is, to open completely.

It is thus an object of the invention to avoid these difficulties byproviding a control and distributing device which makes possible for theswitching means of the circuit breaker and those of the section switch,both operated by pressure fluid from the same source, to complete,independently of each other, their cycles of operation.

If in this specification and in the claims the term pressure fluidoperated switching means is employed, this term is to comprise any meansor mechanisms which, operated, driven, fed, controlled, or regulated bythe pressure fluid, serve for, or assist in, the interruption of thecurrent in the circuit breaker and the blowing out or the extinction ofthe arc, or the disconnecting of the section switch, or both.

The control and distributing device of the invention thus includes avalve mechanism hereinafter called distributor. A supply conduitconnects the distributor directly with the source of pressure fluid. Theadmittance of pressure fluid to this supply conduit is under control ofa mechanism, hereinafter designated as starting or release mechanismprovided with a valve in the supply conduit. This valve is to beactuated for the opening of the circuit breaker by an electromagnetunder the command of a signal given by hand or from the electriccurrent, for instance on occurrence of a certain overload current. When,on command of such a signal, the valve of the release or startingmechanism opens, pressure fluid will be admitted to the distributor.Under the action of the compressed air, the distributor valve will firstdirect the flow of compressed air to the driving member which effectsthe opening and closing of a valve hereinafter named control valve"which controls the supply of pressure fluid to the switching means ofthe circuit breaker. After a predetermined period of time, dependentupon the working characteristics of the circuit breaker, the distributorvalve will then cut off the supply of compressed air to the drivingmember of the control valve and set this member again under atmosphericpressure and thus close the control valve.

In further development of the invention, particularly for this actuationof the control valve for the circuit breaker and for rendering theoperation of the section switch conditioned on that of the circuitbreaker in predetermined spaced timing thereafter, the control devicefurther includes a timing slide valve controlled by and itselfcontrolling the distributor valve so that timing slide valve anddistributor valve are both under mutual control, interdependent uponeach other, as will be set forth in detail hereinafter.

The driving member for the control valve is actuated and controlled bythis timing slide valve such that a predetermined period of time passesbetween the admission of the pressure fluid for actuating the drivingmember and the exhaust of the pressure fluid. This period of time is sodetermined that the control valve is held open just sufiiciently long toadmit into the supply line of the circuit breaker the quantity ofcompressed air or other pressure fluid which is necessary for theblowing out of the arc, or for the pneumatic opening of'the switchcontacts, or both.

Together with the exhausting from the timing slide valve of thecompressed air which had served for the actuation of the driving memberof the control valve or together with the closing of this valve, thedistributor also controls the supply of the pressure fluid to thedriving means, driving cylinder, which opens pneumatically the contactsof the section insulating switch.

By varying the size of the exhaust outlet, such as by throttling thepassage therethrough, the length of time may be regulated during whichthe pressure fluid. which had actuated the driving member of the controlvalve, is exhausted from the timing valve. The velocity with which thecontrol valve is closed again may thus be controlled.

Supplying of compressed air to the distributor may be terminated bytie-energizing the release valve mechanism, for instance by de-excitingthe coil of the release electrovalve by means of an end contact whichcuts olf the energizing current of the relay as soon as the sectionswitch has fully opened its contacts and reached its open end position.The distributor valve is no longer supplied with compressed air. Underthe action of a return mechanism the distributor valve will now returninto its initial rest position for the next release operation.

The sequence of the three operations just described, opening of thecontrol valve, closing of the control valve by exhausting the pressurefluid from its driving member, and opening of the section switch, in theproper se quence and with predetermined spaced timing may be ensured bythe provision of this distributor as a slide piston valve.

The novel mode of distribution of the compressed air or other pressurefluid and of the control of the operation of the switching means throughthe control device of the invention presents various advantages.

The compressed air for the actuation of the section switch is no longerderived from the current of compressed air which feeds the switchingmeans of the circuit breaker but is derived directly from the source orreservoir of the compressed air. The supply of compressed air to, andthe operation of, the driving motor for the opening of the sectionswitch contacts thus are independent of the movement of the controlvalve for the supply of compressed air to the circuit breaker. Theactuating compressed air is supplied to the switching means of thesection switch when the control relay has released the quantity ofcompressed air necessitated for the blowing out or other pneumaticswitching operation, or both, of the circuit breaker. Finally, theclosing of the control valve is made independent of the energy suppliedto the release mechanism of the control device, or its controllingelectro-valvc, since following the exhausting of the compressed airwhich operates the driving member of the control relay, which takesplace automatically, the control valve will close again independently ofthe electro-valve.

For further illustration of the invention, reference will now be made tothe accompanying drawings which form part of this specification andwhich are to be understood explieative of the inventionbut notlimitative of its scope.

The drawings thus are to show an embodiment of my invention but not tolimit the scope of my invention through or to the particularities of theexample selected for illustration. Other embodiments incorporating theprinciple underlying my invention are feasible without departing fromthe spirit and ambit of my appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a sectional view of an embodiment of the control device of theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a diagram of the device together with the cooperatingpneumatic and electric circuits and circuit breaker and section switchcontrolled thereby;

Fig. 3 illustrates schematically the pneumatic organization of thecircuit breaker of Fig. 2, all details not concerned with the inventionbeing omitted.

In the drawings, a source or reservoir of the pressure fluid, as a rulecompressed air, is designated by 11. This source is to supply thepressure medium to the supply lines leading to the switching means ofthe circuit breaker and of the section switch under the control of thedevice of the invention. This control device comprises the threeaforesaid component mechanisms, release mechanism, distributor andtiming valve. 12 is the supply line connecting the source 11 of pressurefluid with the switch ing means of a circuit breaker, generally andschematically indicated at 13 in Figs. 2 and 3. Supply line 12 is underthe control of a control valve 14, normally held with its disc 15against its seat 16 by the pressure of the compressed air or other fluidin the vessel 11. This valve thus serves as circuit breaker controlvalve since it controls the actuation of the switching means of thiscircuit breaker. The stem 17 of the circuit breaker control valve, orshortly control valve, 14 is passed through the lower cover 21 of thecylinder 22 of a slide piston valve, generally designated by 20. Theupper end of stem 17 is secured to the piston 23 of this slide valve,herein, for reasons which will appear hereinafter, called timing slidevalve or short timing valve.

The head 24 of the timing slide valve cylinder is traversed by a fluidadmission duct 25 and a fluid exhaust duct 26. In the cylinder wallthere is provided a side port 27, opening into a conduit 23, and spacedapart from the upper end of the cylinder space a distance within thestroke of piston 23.

Mounted on the head 24 of the timing valve 20 is the distributorlikewise in the form of a piston slide valve. Within the cylinder 30 ofthe distributor valve, the distributor piston 31 is urged into its restposition, in the drawing towards the right, against the head 40 of thecylinder 30 by means of a spring 32 housed within the cylinder andbearing with its one end against the piston and with the other endagainst the cylinder head 33. Cylinder head 33 is provided with aventilation opening 34 so that air may escape from the cylinder whenthe-piston is displaced towards this head against the action of thespring, and vice versa.

The movement of piston 31 controls three ports 35, 36, and 38,respectively opening into ducts 25, 26 and conduit 28. Diametrallyopposite the port 35 leading into the admission duct 25 there isarranged in the cylinder wall 30 an admission port 41 opening into asupply conduit 42 which is to admit compressed air from the source orreservoir 11 under the control of the release mechanism 56, 62, 63, 64,65, which will be described later on. An exhaust outlet 43 is arrangedin the wall of cylinder 30 diametrally opposite the port 36 of theexhaust duct 26. The passage through the exhaust outlet may be regulatedby a register 44 with variable opening 45.

The slide body 31 of the distributor is provided with an annular throat46 by means of which, in the rest position of the slide body or piston,admission conduit 42 communicates with admission duct 25 and throughthis duct with the cylinder space above the piston 23 the timing valve.In the other end position of piston 31, u11nular throat 46 registerswith duct 26 and outlet 43. The cylinder space above piston 23 will thusbe exhausted through duct 26, port 36, annular throat 46, outlet 43 andregister opening 45.

Slide body 31 is further traversed by a center channel 49 of elbow.form, one, the axial branch 50 of this channel ending opposite anopening 51 of cylinder head 40 into which leads the supply line 52 whichis to supply compressed air to the switching means of the sectioninsulating switch, diagrammatically indicated at 53 in Fig. 2. Theother, radial branch 54 of the center channel opens, in the restposition of piston 31, opposite port 38 which leads through conduit 28to the side port 27 of the timing valve cylinder 22. The axial branch 50of the center channel is further provided with an intermediate port 55ending in the circumferential surface of the slide body, near the throatand between throat of the slide body and its end face with the openingof the axial channel.

The supply of the pressure fluid to the distributor and, through thethroat 46 of its piston 31 to the timing valve, and therefore to theswitching means of the circuit breaker and of the section switch, thusis under the control of the release mechanism; the supply to the circuitbreaker indirectly through the actuation of the control valve throughthe intermediary of the distributor and the timing valve, and the supplyof the pressure fiuid to the section switch directly but controlled bythe interplay of distributor and timing valve.

The release mechanism comprises a master valve, gen erally designated by56, with valve chamber 57, valve disc 58, valve stem 59 and valve seat60. The valve chamber 57 freely communicates through a conduit 61 withthe reservoir 11, thus is permanently under the pressure of thereservoir. The valve stem 59 is secured to a plunger 62 movable in atube 63, the free, in the drawing left hand, end of which forms thevalve seat 60. Tube 63 is in open communication with the supply tube 42of the distributor. The plunger 62 is actuated by an electro-magnet 64.

The figures show all the movable parts in their rest position when bothcircuit breaker 13 and section switch 53 are closed. In order to opencircuit breaker 13 and thereon, when the circuit breaker has opened, thesection switch 53, the electromagnet 64 will be excited from anelectrical control network, indicated at 67, Fig. 2, for instance byhand by closing a press button contact 68, or through command from themain network which is to be switched 011?, thus for instance by acurrent transformer 69 actuating a relay 70. The coil of a relay 71 willthus be energized and the working contacts 72 of this relay will closethe energizing circuit of electromagnet 64. Re lay '71 will also closeits holding contacts 73 and thus hold itself energized over the closedend contacts 74 of the movable switch member 66 of section switch 53.

The armature 65 of electromagnet 64 will now push plunger 62 inwards andlift valve disc 58 from its seat 60 against the pressure of thecompressed air and will thus admit compressed air from reservoir 11 overline 61, valve chamber 57, and tube 63 to supply conduit 42 and throughport 41, throat 46, port 35 and admission duct 25, to the cylinder spaceabove piston 23. Since the diameter of this piston is larger than thatof the disc of valve 14, this valve will be opened and compressed airwill be admitted to supply line 12.

The compressed air now actuates the switching means of the circuitbreaker such as shown at 13 in Figs. 2 and 3. This showing as well asthat of the section switch and of the electrical control circuit withits relays is solely for the purpose of better illustrating theinvention and explaining further the character of the operation cyclesof the pneumatic circuits and the proper spaced timing of these cycles.The type of these circuit breakers and section switches does not formpart of the subject matter of this invention, neither does any specifictype of such interruptors or of their pneumatic actuating means, nor anyspecific type of starting means, such as the electromagnet which setsinto operation the control and distributing means of the invention.

Thus, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the pressure fluid suppliedthrough supply line 12 will displace the pistons 79, 80, and thusseparate the contacts 81, 82, from each other, and from the nozzlecontacts 83, 84. The compressed air will then pass through the nozzlecontacts, thus blow out the arc and escape through the valve still open.This delayed action valve 85 will then be closed by the compressed airagainst the action of the spring of valve 85.

The contacts of the circuit breaker will now be held in their openposition until subsequently the contacts are to be closed again throughany appropriate means. this purpose, the pressure in the contact chambermay be released, for instance by actuating the valves 87, 88, whereuponthe spring urged pistons will return the contacts 81, 82, to theirclosed position.

Returning now to the operation of the timing valve, piston 23 on itstravel will reach and pass the side port 27 and thus admit compressedair from the cylinder space above piston 23 through port 27, conduit 28,port 38, into center channel 49 of the distributor piston. Compressedair will now be admitted through supply line 52 leading to the switchmechanism of the section switch.

The compressed air which enters the center channel 49 before it has timeto actuate the switching mechanism of section switch 53, will displacethe slide body 31 of the distributor through the pressure difference atboth ends of the body, towards the left, and thus will bring part ofport 55 and of supply conduit 42 into juxtaposition. Compressed air willnow flow from reservoir 11 through conduit 61, valve chamber 57, tube63, supply conduit 42, port 55, channel 50, into the space which hasbeen opened between the right hand side of the slide body 31 and thehead 40 of the distributor cylinder 36. The slide body is now rapidlymoved to the left into the position where the throat 46 registers withthe exhaust duct 26 and the exhaust outlet 43 while port 55 stillregisters with supply conduit 42.

The supply of compressed air to the cylinder space above piston 23 isthus cut off and this space connected with the outside atmosphere whilethe compressed air is still admitted to supply line 52 directly fromsupply conduit 42. The pressure on valve disc 14 will now prevail andpiston 23 will be returned to its original rest position and valve 14 beclosed.

By means of the register 44 provided at the exhaust outlet 43 and thusby more or less throttling the passage of the exhaust medium thevelocity may be regulated with which piston 23 returns into its restposition and thus the length of time during which valve 14 is open.

The compressed air admitted to supply line 52 will now actuate theswitching means of the section switch 53 for instance by means ofdriving cylinder 90, gearing 91, and rack 32, and withdraw the contactpiece 66 from a cooperating contact at the outside of circuit breaker 13and thus separate from the circuit breaker 13 the line section 93joining the section switch. As soon as the section switch has beenopened completely, it de-energizes by means of its end contact 74 theholding circuit of relay coil 71: network 67, coil 71, end contact 74,working contacts 73 of relay 71, and network 67. The working contacts 72of relay 71 are thus opened and electro-valve 64 de-energized. At thesame time the movable member 66 of the section switch causes the closingof a shunt contact 75, for instance by means of a looped rod 77 whichthrows over the throw-over switch 75, or by means of any other delayedaction relay, so that, after contacts 72 of relay 71 had thus beenopened and electro-valve 64 been de-energized, branch circuit 76 isbridged by switch 75 until later on the section switch is closed again,by conventional or convenient means, here not described, and theadvancing contact member 66 will first allow contact 74 to close underthe action of its spring and will then throw over and open the shuntingswitch 75 by means of the looped rod 77.

Through the de-energizing of electro-valve 64, the pres '7 sure of thecompressed air on valve disc 58 will prevail and close valve 56.Admission of pressure medium is thus cut oil from the distributor.

Through disposition of the various conduits, ducts, and their ports,relatively to one another, the proper predetermined sequence and courseof the various phases of the working cycles of the two, circuit breakerand section switch, will be ensured. Thus, the distance a between theorifices or ports 35 and 36 is so chosen that the space of cylinder 22above piston 23 communicates with the outer atmosphere only then whenthe admission of the com pressed air into this space had been cut offcompletely by piston 31. In other words the dimension n is greater thanthe dimension [2, the width of the throat 46 or of the ports 35 and 44-.On the other hand, the dimension 0, the distance between throat 46 andport 55 is smaller than the dimension d, that is the width of port 3%and that of channel 54. Compressed air will thus be admitted to thedriving cylinder 90 of the section switch 53 before port 33 has beenclosed by the slide body 31.

Furthermore, the side port 27 is spaced apart from the upper end ofcylinder 22 or from the upper surface of piston 23 in its initial restposition so that port 27 will be uncovered by the passing piston 23 andcompressed air will be admitted from the upper cylinder space throughport 27, conduit 28, elbow channel 43 into supply line 52, only aftervalve 14 had been opened fully and a sufficient quantity of compressedair had been supplied to the switching means of the circuit breakerthrough supply line 12 for effecting the opening of the circuit breaker.Only then will the slide body 31 enter into action. In other terms, theoperation for opening the section switch contacts will be started onlyafter the opening of the circuit breaker had been completed. Circuitbreaker and section switch thus are released in precisely spaced timingachieved through the appropriate spacing of the side port 27 of thetiming valve cylinder 21 from the initial rest position of the timingvalve piston 23.

As soon as the current is interrupted through the opening of the circuitbreaker, control valve 14 and section switch 53 complete their cycles ofoperation independently of each other The control valve closes after adelay predetermined by the location of the side port 27 and the size ofthe exhaust opening 45, which ever the length of time may be for thecompletion of the operative cycle of the section switch.

011 the other hand, the driving cylinder of the section switch is feddirectly from the source or reservoir of compressed air and thiscompressed air need no longer pass the control valve for the circuitbreaker in order to reach the section switch. The total of the quantityof compressed air needed for the interruption of the current by thecircuit breaker and for the disconnection of the line by means of thesection switch is thus limited strictly to the minimum.

I claim:

1. Control device for actuating in an electrical line by means of apressure fluid the switching means of a circuit breaker for interruptingthe current of the line and the switching means of a section switch forseparating the line from the circuit breaker; said device including asource of pressure fluid, pressure fluid supply lines connecting saidsource of pressure fluid to said circuit breaker and to said switchsection separately, a control valve disposed between said source ofpressure fluid and the supply line to said circuit breaker and adaptedto control the passage of the pressure fluid therebetween; said devicefurther including control organs inserted between said source ofpressure fluid and each of said supply lines, said control organsincluding a distributor valve inserted between said source of pressurefluid and said supply line to the section switch, said control organsfurther including timing means associated with said distributor valveand with said control valve, said timing means including mechanism foroperating said control valve thereby; distributing channels beingdisposed in said distributor valve and passages for pressure fluid insaid timing means and ducts interconnecting the same; thereby, onadmittance of pressure fluid to said distributor valve, starting fromthe rest position thereof, to control automatically, in predeterminedspaced timing, the opening of the control valve and thus the setting inof the opening cycle of the switching means of the circuit breaker; and,on displacement of the piston of said distributor valve, the connectingof said source to the supply line of the switching means of the sectionswitch and thus the starting of its opening cycle; thereon, on furtherdisplacement of said piston of the distributor valve and indepedently ofthe opening cycle of the section switch, the closing of said controlvalve; and, when the release mechanism had been switched ofl, thedisconnecting of said supply line of the section switch from saidsource.

2. Control device for actuating in an electrical line by means of apressure fluid the switching means of a circuit breaker for interruptingthe current of the line and the switching means of a section switch forseparating and insulating an adjoining line from the circuit breaker,said device including a source of pressure fluid, pressure fluid supplylines connecting said source of pressure fluid to said circuit breakerand to said section switch separately; said device including a controlvalve disposed and adapted for control of the passage of the pressurefluid from said source into the supply line leading to the circuitbreaker; a distributor valve disposed at the head of the supply lineleading to said section switch, a supply conduit for said pressure fluiddisposed between said source and said distributor valve, control meansfor controlling the admittance of the pressure fluid to said supplyconduit, a timing valve associated with the distributor valve and thecontrol valve, thereby, on actuation of said control means, first toopen the control valve for supplying pressure fluid to the circuitbreaker and thereon in predetermined spaced timing to start the closingoperation of the control valve; conduit means being disposed at saiddistributor valve and said timing valve and relatively to the restpositions of their respective pistons so as to be controlled by themotion of said pistons and to admit pressure fluid to the supply line ofthe section switch in predetermined spaced timing after, on admittanceof the pressure fluid to said supply conduit and said distributor valve,the motion of the piston of the timing valve had set in and thus theopening cycle of the circuit breaker had been started, thereby to allowthe circuit breaker fully to open before the opening cycle of thesection switch is started; and, thereon, on motion of the piston of thedistributor valve, to initiate the closing operation of said controlvalve and the completion of the switching off cycle of the sectionswitch, independently of each other.

3. Fluid control mechanism for controlling the supply of pressure fluidfrom a source thereof to a first supply line and in spaced timingthereafter to a second supply line; said mechanism including a controlvalve disposed between said source of pressure fluid and said firstsupply line for controlling by means of said control valve the supply ofpressure fluid to said first supply line, a distributor valve disposedat the head of the second supply line for controlling the supply ofpressure fluid thereto; a supply conduit for said pressure fluiddisposed between said source and said distributor valve, means forcontrolling the admittance of the pressure fluid to said sup plyconduit; a timing valve having its piston connected to the movablemember of said control valve for operating the same; distributingchannels disposed in said distributor valve and passages for pressurefluid connecting said timing valve to said distributing valve; thereby,on admittance of pressure fluid to the supply conduit and with both saiddistributor valve and said timing valve in their rest positions, firstto admit pressure fluid from the supply conduit through the distributorto said timing 1 walve for opening through the displacement of thepiston thereof said control valve, thereon, in spaced timing thereafter,on completion of the movement of the piston of said timing valve andthus termination of the supply cycle of the first supply line, to startthe movement of the piston of the distributor valve toward a secondposition and the cycle of supply to the second supply line, Whileclosing, through the displacement of the distributor valve piston, thesupply of pressure fluid to the timing valve, and starting theexhausting of the same and the closing the control valve.

4. Fluid control device for controlling the supply of pressure fluidfrom a source thereof to a first supply line and in timed spacingthereafter to a second supply line, said mechanism including a controlvalve disposed and adapted for control of the passage of the pressurefluid from said source to the first supply line, a distributor valvedisposed at the head of the second supply line, a supply conduit forsaid pressure fluid disposed between said source and said distributorvalve, means including a re lease mechanism for controlling theadmittance of the pressure fluid to said supply conduit, a timing valveassociated with the distributor valve and the control valve; thereby, onadmittance of the pressure fluid to said supply line and distributorvalve, first to open the control valve for supplying pressure fluid tothe first supply line and thereon, in predetermined spaced timing, tostart the closing operation of the control valve; conduit means beingdisposed between said distributor valve and said timing valve andrelatively to the rest positions of their respective pistons so as to becontrolled by the motion of said pistons and to admit pressure fiuid tothe second supply line in predetermined spaced timing after theadmission of the pressure fluid to said supply conduit and distributorvalve and the motion of the piston of the timing valve had set in, andthus the cycle of supply of pressure fluid to the first supply line hadbeen started; thereby to allow completion of this cycle before the cycleof supply to the second supply line is started; and, thereon, on motionof the piston of the distributor valve, to initiate the closingoperation of the control valve and the completion of the cycle of fluidsupply to the second supply line.

5. Control device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said timing valvecomprises a cylinder and a slide piston displaceable therein; a rodconnecting said piston and the disc of said control valve, a fluidadmission duct and a fluid exhaust duct being provided in the head ofthe cylinder, the wall of the cylinder having a side port in spacedrelationship to said head and at a distance therefrom within the extentof the stroke of the piston; said distributor valve having an exhaustport and a further fluid conducting means for bringing, on admittance ofpressure fluid to said supply conduit, said fluid admission duct of thetiming valve into communication with said supply conduit of thedistributor valve thereby to displace the piston of said timing valveand actuate thereby and open the control valve of said first supplyline, said distributor valve including control means for controllingsaid fluid conducting means of the distributor valve for bringing inpredetermined spaced timing said exhaust port into communication withsaid exhaust duct, for thus exhausting the cylinder and allowing thepiston to be returned into its rest position under the prevailingpressure of said source on said control valve, and the control valve toclose; said device further including fluid conducting means connectingsaid side port with said distributor valve, said control means of thedistributor valve being further adapted for bringing said side port intocommunication with said distributor valve when the piston on its forwardtravel has passed said side port, and for thus starting operation ofsaid distributor valve and causing the setting in of the cycle of supplyto the second supply line.

6. Control device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said distributor valvecomprises a cylinder, a slide body movable therein, a spring urging oneend face of the slide body, said distributor valve cylinder having anadmission port opening into said supply conduit and an exhaust port, anddiametrally thereto ports respectively opening into the admission ductand the exhaust duct of the timing valve, further a port and conduitmeans communicating with the side port of the timing valve cylinder;said slide body having a throat disposed and adapted so as to bring, inthe spring urged rest position of the slide body, said admission portand the port opening into said admission duct into communication,thereby, on admittance of pressure fluid to said supply conduit, tostart movement of the timing valve piston and opening of the controlvalve; said throat being further disposed and adapted, on displacementof the distributor valve piston into its other end position by means ofsaid fluid conducting and controlling means connecting the side port andthe distributor valve, to bring said exhaust port and exhaust duct intocommunication, thereby to exhaust said timing valve cylinder and causethe return of the timing valve piston and closing of the control valve.

7. Control device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said slide body of thedistributor valve has a center channel of elbow form with an axialbranch and radial branch, the axial branch having an opening in the endface of the slide body opposite to that urged by the spring, thecylinder head facing this opening having a port leading into the secondsupply line; said radial branch opening at the circumferential surfaceof the slide body, the cylinder having a port, disposed so as to be inthe rest position of the slide body, opposite said branch opening, aconduit connecting this port with the side port of the timing valvecylinder, such that, when the slide body is in its spring urged restposition, the center channel by means of its radial branch communicateswith the side port, and, when the piston of the timing valve on itstravel has passed the side port, pressure fluid is admitted through saidcenter channel to the second supply line and to the end face of theslide body at which the center channel opens, said pressure fluid thencausing displacement of the slide body against the action of the spring;the center channel further having an intermediate port opening at thecircumferential surface of the slide body and disposed at a shortdistance from said throat and between the throat and the end face of theslide body where the center channel opens, so as, when the slide bodyhas started its motion and the supply conduit and the admission ductstill communicate through said throat, to admit pressure fluid from thesupply conduit into the center channel and into the second supply line,thereby to start and continue the cycle of the supply of pressure fluidto the second supply line and displacement of the slide body into itsother end position until, under control of the release mechanism, thesupply of pressure fluid is cut off whereupon the slide body is returnedby the spring into its rest position.

8. Control device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means forcontrolling the admittance of pressure fluid to the supply conduitcomprise a master valve, conduit means connecting said master valve withthe source of pressure fluid and with the distributor valve, and furthermechanism for actuating said master valve thereby to control passage ofthe pressure fluid to the distributor valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,450,628 Boisseau et al. Oct. 5, 1948 2,521,460 Jansson Sept. 5, 19502,523,572 Jansson Sept. 26, 1950

